My oldest brother is about to be a dad for the first time, and since he is the one that got me hooked on Vegas, I said we should have one last getaway before the baby comes (well, actually he asked his wife who gave him permission to have one last getaway).
It was too expensive for a trip to Vegas, too far of a drive for Biloxi, our last resort: Harrahs Cherokee in NC. a quick 3-hour drive from Atlanta.
We stayed for free at the Days Inn across the street, and it took less than 2 mins from our room to the casino door. Less than it would if we had parked or stayed in the hotel.
My expectations were low going in, so I was ready for the worst, but was pleasantly surprised. Cherokee NC. reminded me of the town from the movie Walking Tall (the remake, not the original). A small tired town whose best days were behind it, but anchored by a big flashy casino.
The machines were tight as expected, but the Saturday night crowd was big, and the casino itself was bigger than I thought, and very clean. The staff was nice, and the buffet was great for $4.
I wanted to try the infamous "digital 21" but the tables were always full, and the lowest limit was $25, too rich for my blood. My brother is a $.25 Keno fan, and I swear, every machine he played, he won. At one point, he hit $200.. on KENO!!?!!
I on the other hand had my ass handed to me on every game I tried. The weirdest part of this whole trip was gambling and not drinking. I am used to sitting at a machine and sucking down 4 crappy mixed drinks while justifying losing a car payment. Very odd..
But for a quick 30-hour road trip, it was fun. Next time, someone remind me the WHOLE TOWN is dry. I thought I would at least be able to go to a gas station or something to buy a cold one. But I did learn that I would lose, and lose bad, with or without the drinks.
Mixmaster Mark...